Yuan Leads Cougar Golfers

Sophomore team co-captain Maggie Yuan led the BYU women's golf team to an 11th-place finish at the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational.

SAMMAMISH -- Sophomore team co-captain Maggie Yuan led the BYU women’s golf team to an 11th-place finish at the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational Wednesday. Yuan finished tied for 24th at the event.

“This is the most difficult golf course we’ll play this year,” said BYU head coach Sue Nyhus. “We have a wonderful team. They’re young and strong, and we’re going to learn from this and keep getting better. Great things are ahead of us.”

The Cougars went 104-over-par (320-330-318--968) for the tournament, tying with Long Beach State, and posted their best round on the final day with a score of 318 (+30). No. 13 California placed first at +33 followed by No. 24 Stanford at +48 and No. 8 Pepperdine at +53. Other ranked teams in the field included No. 48 San Jose State, who placed fifth, No. 32 Oregon, placing eighth, and No. 29 Idaho coming in ninth.

Yuan recorded the best 18-hole score of the tournament for the Cougars on Wednesday as she went 2-over-par (74). She posted a birdie on the par-3 5th hole during her cleanest round of the week. Yuan’s three-round stroke total of 234 was 18-over-par (81-79-74--234).

Junior Jade Bollinger also scored under 80 on Wednesday, going 7-over-par (79) to tally her best round of the event. Bollinger started out rough, going +6 on her first four holes, but regained her composure to play even-par golf on the final nine. Bollinger finished tied for 39th at 25-over-par (80-82-79--241).

Freshman Amanda Keith also had her best round of the week on Wednesday with a score of 80, 8-over-par. She finished the tournament tied for 46th at +30 (81-85-80--246). Freshman Kelsey Vines placed 50th at +31 (78-84-85--247) with a final-round score of 85. Junior Emily Copier also shot an 85 on Wednesday for the second time this week to finish the event at +40 (85-86-85--256) in 64th place. Junior Sara Romero, competing independently, tied for 65th at +41 (88-86-83--257).

The Cougars now have three weeks off before competing Oct. 26-28 at the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown.